Though Microsoft has portrayed a hands-on report with a purported pre-release build of Office for iPad as "inaccurate," rumors continue to point toward an iPad-optimized version of Office being a reality.

A "working prototype" of Office for iPad was detailed on Tuesday by Matt Hickey of The Daily, News Corp's iPad news publication. But Microsoft quickly dismissed the details as "based on inaccurate rumors and speculation."

Following Microsoft's denial, Peter Ha, the news organization's editor of its Apps & Tech section, took to his official Twitter account to claim that an image that accompanied the story in The Daily showing a purported screenshot of Office for iPad was not fake. He also shared a picture of the supposed iOS icon for Microsoft's Office application.

He also hinted at more details to come, stating that if Microsoft was unhappy with the original report detailing Office for iPad, "they likely won't be happy with our follow up." Later on Tuesday, he tweeted, "Today was fun. Let's do it again tomorrow!"

Separately, Microsoft insider Mary-Jo Foley at ZDNet wrote a column stating that Microsoft's "denial" does not mean that the company is not building Office for the iPad. In fact, she said she expects that the Redmond, Wash., software company actually is working on a version of its productivity suite for Apple's touchscreen tablet.

"So what about Microsoft's claims that The Daily's photos weren't of a real Microsoft product?" she wrote. "Remember: If something like the actual UI screen in a photo isn't yet final and subject to change in anyway, Microsoft execs technically can say this with a (semi) straight face)."

For its part, Microsoft's Corporate Communications arm took to its official Twitter account to release its own statement: "Great respect for The Daily but regrettably someone is giving them bad info, and that'll be clear in the 'coming weeks.'"

The "coming weeks" quote from Microsoft refers to the original story from author Matt Hickey, who indicated that Office for iPad could soon be submitted for approval to Apple's App Store and released, as he said, "in the coming weeks." Foley said such quick availability of the application strikes her as "potentially overly optimistic."

Hickey's hands-on impressions with Office claimed that it will allow users to create and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint photos locally and online, in an application that uses Microsoft's trademark Metro user interface.

We need an iPad3 (processor, rez) to even think about actual end users running Office under iOS. But since we can't let that cat out of the bag, we're reduced to making you think we need a few weeks to get our act together. Since we have a history of barely getting our act together on forward looking products, you're buying it. Plus we planted all those images of goofy staged funerals and similar cosplay "events" so you probably figure we're very busy putting together a garish float that will announce this in New Orleans, sadly two weeks after the actual Mardi Gras. Dang. We should totally do that!

Oops, we promised to let this be revealed at the keynote presentation. Its just we are so excited about this product that our undisiplined employees spilled the beans. Thank god Steve's not around anymore since this major announcement will fall flat now. Hope they don't kick us out of the keynote. Sorry.

Could we see a simultaneous iPad 3 and Office for iPad release? Thats the product that Apple pimps in it's keynote?

Before people start thinking it would never happen- if Office is $50 (or whatever)- thats still $15 that Apple gets for doing absolutely nothing. They'll be quite happy promoting a product that will sell a lot (because for the most part- if you were going to buy their iWork suite- you would've done it already).

And Apple said they weren't making a phone. But yet here we see two screenshots of Office on an iPad.

True. I think that Microsoft would be dumb not to be working on Office for the iPad but then again at this late point is there an audience left. As you say most folks that have an iPad got Pages etc (or one of the clone office apps) already. So perhaps they are not and what was seen was actually for their own tablets.

or maybe they are but that wasn't a shot of the app at all or it isn't 'near to ready' as some articles are claiming and that's what they are disputing more than anything else. Not that they are working on a possible app/apps